Great Graphic: What are the Most Pressing Issues in the UK ?

This Great Graphic is from the Financial Times. It shows the results of a You Gov survey in the UK, asking what are the most important issues facing the country.

Despite growth accelerating last year, a stock market near multi-year highs (when the survey was conducted), mortgage approvals at 6 month high, the economy remains the number one issue. In this context, the immigration issue, which was a close second, may also be seen as an economic issue.

The Tory-led government is spending political capital on its call for a 2017 referendum on EU membership, assuming it wins the next election. Yet, the poll finds that it is not a very salient issue.

Moreover, the EU issue threatens to split the Tory Party, like the Tea Party has divided the US Republican Party. There are the ideologues among the Tories that oppose the EU fervently. There is also a business wing that is concerned about the economic implications. The ideologues hope appears to be to cast the immigration issue in terms of the EU. Efforts to reimpose work restrictions on Bulgarians and Romanians until 2019 contradicts EU law.

The You Gov poll also queried about voting intentions for the EU parliament election in May. The anti-Europe UKIP party is actually polling more than the Tories (26% to 23%), while Labour is drawing 32%. This leaves junior partner in the governing coalition Lib-Dems at 9% and in fourth.

Great Graphic: What are the Most Pressing Issues in the UK ?
Reviewed by Marc Chandler
on
January 31, 2014
Rating: 5